This invention relates to an engine, e.g., for propelling a vehicle, wherein the fuel for powering the engine is provided in vapor form.
Liquid fuel is known to be inefficient and there have been numerous attempts to utilize vaporized fuel as an alternative to liquid fuel. Many patents have been issued claiming benefits of vaporized fuel but liquid fuel remains the dominant form of fuel used for powering vehicle engines.
It is believed that a primary reason for the failure of vaporized fuel to function as an effective fuel for engines is the need to maintain a constant vapor composition matched to the particular engine and the vapor fuel varies in composition as a result of environmental variables. The present invention is directed to a means for controlling the variables to thereby provide the heretofore illusive benefit of vapor fuel efficiency.
Increased fuel efficiency is achieved by the more complete burning of hydrocarbons and can be detected by measuring the hydrocarbons that are emitted as a waste product found in an engine""s exhaust. The lower the hydrocarbon (parts per million), the more efficient the fuel utilization. It is an objective of this invention to reduce the hydrocarbons present in the exhaust to less than five parts per million and preferably down to one or zero parts per million.
Liquid fuel, e.g., gasoline, can be readily converted to vapor through agitation and/or heating. The vapor, however, must be delivered to the combustion chamber of a piston driven engine in a proper air fuel mixture to achieve the desired efficiency. In a particular engine, that mixture may be in the order of 26-30 parts air to one part fuel.
The problem is in the maintenance of the desired composition. For example, assuming that a desired mixture of air to fuel is 30 to 1, assume further that in a particular fuel vaporization set up, the vapor derived therefrom is in the order of five parts air to one part fuel. Vapor drawn from this source has to be modified by the addition of air to achieve the 30 to 1 ratio. The proper balance can be achieved through the addition of a calculated volume of ambient air. However, as soon as there is a change, e.g., in temperature, the vapor composition will change and the air input has to accordingly be changed to maintain the desired 30 to 1 ratio. These variables are addressed by the present invention as follows:
In a preferred embodiment, a vaporization chamber about the size of an air filter is provided, e.g., having a diameter of about 12 inches and a depth of about 3 inches but including a dome shaped roof. A liquid gas inlet which is connected from the vehicle fuel tank to the chamber delivers gasoline to the chamber. Open and shut valves are provided to maintain a liquid fuel depth of, e.g., xe2x85x9c inch in the bottom of the chamber. An air mixing, vapor conveying pipe enters the chamber and exits the chamber, the exit portion of the pipe adapted to connect directly to the intake manifold of an engine. Valves are provided on the tube for controlled input of air from the atmosphere, and of vapor from the chamber, e.g., air being introduced at the inlet end of the pipe and vapor being introduced as the pipe traverses the chamber interior. Such valving is designed to cooperatively intermix the air and vapor in a given ratio regardless of the vacuum pull from the air intake manifold, i.e., to accommodate variations in engine/vehicle speed.
Additional to the above is a coil that is located in the liquid fuel in the bottom xe2x85x9c inch of the chamber. The coil selectively provides heating or cooling of the liquid fuel. A temperature probe connected to the heating and cooling coil controls the heating and cooling of the liquid fuel and thus enables a set temperature for the fuel, e.g., at 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Thus, regardless of the outside temperature or whatever factors exist in the surrounding media, the temperature of the liquid fuel being vaporized is maintained at 75 degrees F.
The vaporization chamber can be readily mounted on a conventional engine in minutes without exceeding available space within the engine compartment (under the hood). The gas line of the vehicle is connected into the chamber and the mixing pipe outlet is connected into the engine""s intake manifold. A conventional heating/cooling control is connected to the heating/cooling coil and the vehicle is ready to run at a far superior efficiency using vaporized fuel.
The invention and its benefits will be more fully understood and appreciated upon reference to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment having reference to the accompanying drawings.